Oven-Roasted Fresh Tomato Sauce is a perfect and delicious idea to use those last of the season fresh vine-ripened tomatoes.
This is not really a recipe, but more of a technique that I use for making this wonderful Oven-Roasted Fresh Tomato Sauce. This is a very simple cooking technique that is subject to endless variation to your taste. Sometimes the most basis recipes produces the best results! This is my favorite way to use up summer tomatoes!
Just place cut up tomatoes picked fresh from the garden in a roasting pan, and add in fresh herbs like basil and oregano with chunks of garlic. Then drizzle the tomatoes and herbs with extra virgin olive oil. Don’t forget to add some salt and pepper for seasoning too. Pop it in the oven to slow roast for an amazing sauce. Beats store-bought marinara sauce any day!
This outstanding sauce can be used to top your pasta dishes, pizza topping, lasagna, tomato soup, or whatever else you can think of. Be creative in making and using this tomato sauce.
Check out Linda’s Tomato Recipes. Also check here to learn All About Tomatoes (history, how to purchase, and how to use).
Learn out how to make Slow-Roasted or Baked Tomatoes.
- Tomatoes, fresh vine-ripened
- Garlic cloves, minced
- Chile peppers
- Onions
- Fresh herbs of your choice (such as basil, rosemary, oregano, thyme)*
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil, extra-virgin
- Coarse salt and freshly-ground black pepper
- Sugar (granulated), optional**
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place oven rack in the center of the oven.
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Prepare Vegetables:
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Tomatoes: Wash tomatoes and cut out the stem core. Slice the tomatoes in half lengthwise and then into quarters
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Garlic: Remove the papery skin from the whole garlic cloves. Either mince or chop.
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Chile Peppers: Remove stems from chile peppers, cut in halves, and remove seeds.
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Onions: Remove skins from onions and quarter. Cut into quarters or fourths.
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Herbs: Strip the fresh herbs off their stem.
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Place prepared tomatoes, garlic cloves, chile peppers, and herbs in a large roasting pan. Add olive oil and stir to combine. Do not add any more liquid as the natural juices from the tomatoes will provide all the liquid that you need (and sometimes more than you need).
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Bake approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes.
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Let the tomato mixture cool slightly before straining. Use a large strainer or a food mill to remove the skins, seeds, and herbs. The resulting puree will be nice and thick. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
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If you end up with more liquid than you want (this happens when you use regular garden tomatoes and not Roma tomatoes), simmer the mixture over low heat until reduced to the thickness you want. This is what I had to do this time because I used end-of-the-season large very ripe garden tomatoes. As I was left with too much liquid, I then put the pot back on the burner and simmered the sauce until it achieved the thickness I wanted.
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Either refrigerate and use within 5 days or freeze. I find that I like to freeze the sauce in small amounts at a time. You may only need to use a little at a time, depending on your recipe. Vacuum sealed bags and small freezer containers work well.
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Makes a large batch.
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Variation Idea:
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Add 1 (2-ounce) can of anchovies, packed in oil. You do not taste the anchovies , but the anchovies add a rich, savory, and salty layer to the sauce. Excellent served over pasta of your choice.
NOTE: I can not give you exact measurements for this recipe, because I just do it! Don't be afraid of messing up, because you can't!
* I like to use fresh basil leaves.
** I find that adding a little sugar to tomato sauce after the sauce is cooked, but still hot, cuts some of the acid and mellow the flavor. You do not want to add too much, so start with approximately 1/2 teaspoon per quart. When making spaghetti sauce, I add molasses instead of sugar.
Reader Comments:
After I roasted the vegetables for about 1 1/2 hours, I blended everything in my Vitamix. I had used about five fresh Roma tomatoes and a couple of others, plus an onion, red pepper, 5 garlic cloves, and some fresh basil. I added some water when I blended it. I cooked some chicken strips separately and then added some of the sauce. Delicious – thanks!! – Marcia Brumbaugh (10/9/14)
Categories:
Chile Peppers Condiments - Sauces - Butters - Relishes - Jam and Jelly Recipes Tomatoes Vegetable Cooking Lessons